Bucks County residents voice concerns on CNN

Area was chosen for its history of reflecting overall vote in state.

Voters who attended a nationally televised town meeting Thursday in Bucks County came armed with questions about homeland security, the war in Iraq, the economy and health care.

They also came with definite ideas about whether they plan to vote for President Bush or Sen. John Kerry, even though forum sponsor CNN hoped that most of the 125 people in the room would be undecided.

"I have decided," said Larry Kinker, a 54-year-old network engineer from Warrington. "I'm going to vote for Kerry, even though I'm a registered Republican."

Kinker said he is worried that North Korea and Iran have plans to build nuclear weapons. "I think that's one of the big questions. What are the candidates going to do about this kind of threat? Are they going to solve it diplomatically or militarily?"

Fred Miller, a 47-year-old carpenter from Line Lexington, said he also has his mind made up.

"I've decided," Miller said. "It will take something monumental to get me to switch to Kerry."

Miller said Kerry has unfairly criticized the president for the loss of American jobs through outsourcing. He argued that a president can do little to stem the flow of jobs overseas.

"Presidents don't outsource jobs," he said. "Corporations do."

CNN chose Bucks County as one of four places in America for the town meetings. The network selected Bucks because it has a history of reflecting the overall vote in Pennsylvania during presidential contests.

The town meeting was moderated by CNN anchor Paula Zahn. Liz Cheney, Vice President Dick Cheney's daughter, represented the Bush campaign at the forum. The Kerry campaign was represented by Kiki McLean, a Kerry campaign adviser.

McLean and Cheney sparred on homeland security issues, echoing the contentions that the president and challenger have been making throughout the fall. Although members of the audience were admonished by producers not to speak out of turn, there was an audible gasp when the vice president's daughter insisted that there was a link between the al-Qaida terrorist network and Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.

"Saddam was a sponsor of state terrorism," Cheney said. "He had connections to al-Qaida. There is no question he used weapons of mass destruction against his own people. He was a sworn enemy of the United States. He intended to use them again."

McLean responded, "Knowing what we know now, did we go to war on a series of facts that we know are not true? Frankly, taking responsibility for it is something this president hasn't done."

Audience members hoped the election rhetoric would turn toward domestic issues, such as the economy and health care.

Bush supporter Rich Giannini, a 40-year-old computer salesman from Doylestown, said, "My question to the Kerry side is, "How is he going to pay for all the things he says he can do without raising taxes?"'

Kerry supporter Ken Schaeffer, the 59-year-old owner of a tree surgery business from Chalfont, said it costs more than $24,000 a year for him to buy health insurance for his four employees.

He said, "We're told not to go to Canada to get these drugs. I haven't read one story about people dying from these drugs. Bush has bought into the pharmaceutical companies and their big bucks. I see the American dream fading for people who can't afford health insurance."

The forum was held in the historic barn on the grounds of Tinicum Park in Erwinna. CNN transformed the old barn into a TV studio, importing cameras, booms, lights, satellite trucks and other gear to the rural park on the banks of the Delaware River.